Earring with spring actuated clamp



Jan. 31, 1956 Y 2,732,694

1 EARRING WITH SPRING ACTUATED CLAMP Filed June 11, 1955 EQNEST 1'1 Gen y,

INVENTOR. BYM M United States Patent 2,732,694 EARRING WITH SPRING ACTUATED CLAMP Ernest F. Gray, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 11, 1953, Serial No. 360,897

Claims. (CI. 63-14) This invention relates to an earring of the type which is provided with a clamp detachably to hold it in an attached relation to the human ear.

The present application pertains to a device of the above stated kind similar in many respects to that described and claimed in my co-pending application for U. S. patent on Earring with Spring Impelled Clamp, filed March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,769, matured into Patent No. 2,694,299.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved clamping member construction for an earring of the type having a U-shaped member with a pair of parallel arms. In essence, my invention contemplates providing a clamping member which is pivotally attached adjacent the top of one of the arms and extends perpendicularly across the open end of the U-shaped member toward the opposite arm. The free end of the clamping member extends substantially parallel to the opposite arm and is divided by a slot to form two separate spaced ear lobe engaging portions. When the clamping member is pivoted toward the arm on which it is mounted, the free end of the clamping member extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the pivot arm, with the ear lobe engaging portions disposed on opposite sides thereof to provide maximum pivotal movement of the clamping member. The clamping member is convexly curved toprovide gentle holdingpressure on the ear, with part of the ear lobe extending into and being held by the slot separating the ear lobe engaging portions.

A It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved earring of the class described in which the clamping member gives a light and comfortable but firm pressure on the ear, while also being movable to free the space between the arms of the U-shaped member for-insertion and removal of the ear lobe. It is a further object of my invention to provide such an earring in which various sizes of ear lobes can be comfortably accommodated.

The earring of the present application possesses all the valuable features mentioned in my said prior application, along with the aforesaid additional merits.

Other objects, advantages, and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates an improved, reduced to practice embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 isa front view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof showing the clamping member in its fully inswung position.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking at the right hand side of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is, in the main, a reproduction of what is shown in Fig. 2, but the lobe of a human ear is shown and the clamping member is shown in full lines spring impelled into a clamping relation to said ear lobe and in' dotted linesin its most retracted position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Fig. 2.

ear engaging surface provided by the "ice 2., V Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail'on'line' 6-6 of Fig. 4. l Referring in detail tothe drawing, tli'earring structure therein shown comprises a form retaining U-shape'd member 10constructed and dimensioned'loosely 'to ernbrace the'lobe 11 of a human ear. One ornament arm 13' of said member has externally attached to its upper end portion an ornamental abutment member 14 carrying a projection which isencircled by'a terminal eye portion 15 of said arm 13;

The opposite pivot arm 16 of the U-shaped mernber is slightly flattened throughout at' least the upper half of the U member, so thatit appears slightly narrower breadthwise of the U-shaped member as viewedf in Figs. 2, 4, and 6. The upperendportion of said anti 16 is shaped as an outwardly directed hook 17, the lower end of which is providedon its inner side with ab'eveled face 18 against which normally abutsone en'dfportion of the lever formed by the arcuate clamping plate 19; the action of which will presently be described. v

Said clamping plate 19 has a rectangular aperture 20 through it not far from its attached end, this aperture beingsomewhat'longer than wide with its length-extending longitudinally of the clamping member. The aforesaid squared portion of the arm 16 passes'loosely-through said aperture, but the aperture is not large enough to allow the clamping plate to be completely rotated upon said arm 16; however, the clamping plate is thus mounted so as to swing in all directions, and its swinging movement has a sufficient amplitude to enable it to perform every intended function. The inswing of said clamping plate 19 is amplified-by providing the free end thereof with a deep bifurcation or' recess 25 which enables the plate to be swung to the dotted line position of 4. This swinging movement of the clamping member is opposed by a spiral compression spring 26 which is loosely coiled around the aforesaid flattened portion of the U arm 16, the lower end of said spring abutting a stop forming pin 27 carried by the U arm, and the upper end of said spring acting against the apertured portion of the clamping plate, the aperture 20 of said plate' not being so large as to admit the adjacent end portion of said spring.

The aforesaid beveled end portion 18 of the hook 17 is engaged along the length of its bevel by the onter'patt of the attached clamping" member 19 only when said member is completely inswung by the spring as shown in Fig. 2. However, such a complete inswing of said member will rarely occur when the device is in use because the lever will be'arrested by the lobe of the e ar before it'swings to that extent, so that said point portion of the beveled part 18- ordinarily affords an" additional fulcrum or leverage for the spring 26, enabling said spring to press the clamping member more fift'nly against the lobe of the ear. Therefore, by providing the hook portion 17 with said bevel 18 a little'space is gained, rendering the device slightly more'compact, and compactness of structure is highly desirable in a device of the character to which this'invention pertains.

The convex face of the bifurcated part ofthe clamping plate 19 may be transversely milled or slightly grooved as indicated at 30 in Fig. 5, so as 'to caus e it to take a firmer hold upon the ear lobe 11 against which it is gently, but securely pressed by the spring. p 'Owing to the fact that the clamping plate 19'is widest near its free end, when it is desired to apply the device to or remove it from the ear it is easy for the operator tograsp said wider part between a thumb and finger to swing it toward its retracted position. Also. the broad clamping." plate insures'comfort to the wearer along with a more secure holding function.

I 3 It will be noted that the clamping plate 19 extends "substantially"perpendicularly from the pivot arm 16 across the open end of the U-shaped member to adjacent the ornament arm 13. It there extends downwardly substantially parallel to ornament arm 13. The slot or recess 25 in the free end of clamping plate 19 forms a pair of spaced ear lobe engaging portions. The recess 25 is preferably sufficiently wide to receive and hold a portion of the ear lobe to provide a better grip for clamping plate 19. The provision of two spaced engaging portions with the ear further helps to maintain the grip, while the continuous convex curve of the clamping plate 19 provides for comfort regardless of the size of the ear lobe.

When the clamping plate 19 is pivoted toward the pivot arm 16, it straddles the lower part of pivot arm 16, with one of the ear lobe engaging portions being V disposed on each side of arm 16 and arm 16 being disposed within recess 25. The free end of clamping plate 19 then extends substantially perpendicularly to arm 16 and the space between the arms 13 and 16 is free for easy insertion and removal of the ear lobe.

I claim:

1. In an earring, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, said U- shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel arms, one of said arms being adapted to receive an ornament, the other of said arms acting as a pivot, an ear lobe clamping member having one end pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of said pivot arm, said clamping member having an opposite free end, said clamping member normally extending substantially perpendicularly from adjacent the top of said pivot arm across the open end of said U-shaped member to adjacent the top of said ornament arm, a slot extending upwardly from the free end of said clamping member to divide said clamping member into two separate ear lobe engaging portions, one disposed on each side of said slot, said ear lobe engaging portions normally extending downwardly adjacent and substantially parallel to said ornament arm, resilient means acting on said clamping member to normally urge said ear lobe engaging portions toward said position, said ear lobe clamping member adapted to be pivoted against the urging of said resilient means to move said ear lobe engaging portions downwardlyaway from said ornament arm and toward the lower portion of said pivot arm until said ear lobe engaging portions extend substantially transversely to said pivot arm and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, with the lower portion of said pivot arm disposed within said slot to free the space between said arms for insertion and removal of the ear lobe.

2. In an earring, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, said U- shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel arms, one of said arms being adapted to receive an ornament, the other of said arms acting as a pivot, an ear lobe clamping member having one end pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of said pivot arm, said clamping member having an opposite free end, said clamping member normally extending substantially perpendicularly from adjacent the top of said pivot arm across the open end of said U-shaped member to adjacent the top of said ornament arm, a slot extending upwardly from the free end of said clamping member to divide said clamping member into two separate ear lobe engaging portions, one disposed on each side of said slot, said ear lobe engaging portions normally extending downwardly adjacent and substantially parallel to said ornament arm, said clamping member having an aperture loosely surrounding the upper end of said pivot arm, a spring carried by said pivot arm and acting upon said clamping member to normally urge said ear lobe engaging portions toward said ornament arm, said ear lobe clamping member adapted to be pivoted against the urging of said spring to move said ear lobe engaging portions downwardly away from said ornament arm and toward the lower portion of said pivot arm until said ear lobe engaging portions extend substantially perpendicularly to said pivot arm and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, with the lower portion of said pivot arm disposed within said slot to free the space between said arms for insertion and removal of the ear lobe.

3. In an earring, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, said U- shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel arms, one of said arms being adapted to receive an ornament, the other of said arms acting as a pivot, an ear lobe clamping member having one end pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of said pivot arm, said clamping member having an opposite free end, said clamping member normally extending substantially perpendicularly from adjacent the top of said pivot arm across the open end of said U-shaped member to adjacent the top of said ornament arm, a slot extending upwardly from the free end of said clamping member to divide said clamping member into two separate ear lobe engaging portions, one disposed on each side of said slot, said ear lobe engaging portions normally extending downwardly adjacent and substantially parallel to said ornament arm, said clamping member having an aperture loosely surrounding the upper end of said pivot arm, a spring carried by said pivot arm and acting upon said clamping member to normally urge said ear lobe engaging portions toward said ornament arm, said ear lobe clamping member adapted to be pivoted against the urging of said spring to move said ear lobe engaging portions downwardly away from said ornament arm and toward the lower portion of said pivot arm until said ear lobe engaging portions extend substantially perpendicularly to said pivot arm and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, with the lower portion of said pivot arm disposed within said slot to free the space between said arms for insertion and removal of the ear lobe, the end of said pivot arm being downwardly directed and inclined away from said ornament arm to provide a downwardly facing fulcrum, said fulcrum being engaged by the end of said clamping member adjacent said aperture.

4. In an earring, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, said U-shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel arms, one of said arms being adapted to receive an ornament, the other of said arms acting as a pivot, an ear lobe clamping member having one end pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of said pivot arm, said clamping member having an opposite free end, said clamping member normally extending substantially perpendicularly from adjacent the top of said pivot arm across the open end of said U-shaped member to adjacent the top of said ornament arm, a slot extending upwardly from the free end of said clamping member to divide said clamping member into two separate ear lobe engaging portions, one disposed on each side of said slot, said ear lobe engaging portions normally extending downwardly adjacent and substantially parallel to said ornament arm, resilient means acting on said clamping member to normally urge said ear lobe engaging portions toward said position, said ear lobe clamping member adapted to be pivoted against the urging of said resilient means to move said ear lobe engaging portions downwardly away from said ornament arm and towards the lower portion of said pivot arm until said ear lobe engaging portions extend substantially perpendicularly to said pivot arm and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, with the lower portion of said pivot arm disposed within said slot to free the space between said arms for insertion and removal of the ear lobe, said clampirig member being continuously convexly curved from adjacent said pivot arm to adjacent to the free end of said clamping member, so that the portions thereof which engage the ear are convexly curved regardless of variations in the displacement of the clamping member resulting from variations in the thickness of the ear lobe.

5. In an earring, a U-shaped member dimensioned loosely to embrace the lobe of a human ear, said U-shaped member having a pair of substantially parallel arms, one of said arms being adapted to receive an ornament, the other of said arms acting as a pivot, an ear lobe clamping member having one end pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of said pivot arm, said clamping member having an opposite free end, said clamping member normally extending substantially perpendicularly from adjacent the top of said pivot arm across the open end of said U-shaped member to adjacent the top of said ornament arm, a slot extending upwardly from the free end of said clamping member to divide said clamping member into two separate ear lobe engaging portions, one disposed on each side of said slot, said ear lobe engaging portions normally extending downwardly adjacent and substantially parallel to said ornament arm, resilient means acting on said clamping member to normally urge said earlobe engaging portions toward said position, said ear lobe clamping member adapted to be pivoted against the urging of said resilient means to move said ear lobe engaging portions downwardly away from said ornament arm and toward the lower portion of said pivot arm until said ear lobe engaging portions extend substantially perpendicularly to said pivot arm and are disposed on opposite sides thereof, with the lower portion of said pivot arm disposed within said slot to free the space between said arms for insertion and removal of the ear lobe, said slot spacing said ear lobe engaging portions from each other so that they provide two separate spaced areas of engagement with the ear lobe, said slot being sutficiently wide to receive and hold a portion of the ear lobe between said ear lobe engaging portions to prevent slipping of said clamping member with respect to the ear lobe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,287,067 Barkham Dec. 10, 1918 1,973,282 Brush Sept. 11, 1934 2,325,212 Adams July 27, 1943 2,354,610 Plosky July 25, 1944 2,383,237 Buick Aug. 21, 1945 2,452,796 Skibsted Nov. 2, 1948 2,694,299 Gray Nov. 16, 1954 

